The Dead Man's Penny
The “Dead Man’s Penny” was a memorial plaque issued to the families of soldiers of the British Empire who died during the First World War.
Each bronze plaque carried the soldier’s name and the inscription:
“He died for freedom and honour”
A Symbol of Sacrifice
The round bronze Memorial Plaque measured 120 mm in diameter. The full name of the dead soldier was engraved on the right-hand side of the plaque.
No rank, unit or decorations were shown, reflecting the equality of the sacrifice made by all casualties.
The plaque featured Lady Britannia surrounded by two dolphins, representing Britain’s sea power, and a lion standing over a defeated eagle, symbolising Germany.
Source: Australian War Memorial
Each “Penny” represented loss, sacrifice and remembrance.
More Than a Medal
Over the years, these plaques have taken many paths. Some have been passed down through generations, some are held in museums and RSL collections, some are embedded into gravestones, and others have been lost or were never collected.
The shape and appearance of the plaque earned it nicknames such as the “Dead Man’s Penny”, the “Death Penny”, and the “Widow’s Penny”.
Percy Greenwood’s Penny
In 2020, the Fromelles Association of Australia became aware that the Memorial Plaque issued for Percy John Greenwood, 32nd Battalion, had appeared for sale in Britain.
The plaque was likely sent after the war to Percy’s mother, Kezia Greenwood, in England. Once located, researchers with the Fromelles Association of Australia arranged to purchase it so that Percy’s story could be preserved and his memory honoured.
With the assistance of researchers in both Australia and the United Kingdom, the plaque was secured and is now safely in the possession of the Association.
The plaque serves as a tangible reminder of Percy’s sacrifice and of a family who never saw their son return home from the First World War.
Despite years of searching, Percy remains one of the soldiers of Fromelles for whom Y-DNA is still needed to assist with identification.
If you believe you may be related to Percy Greenwood, or would like to learn more about the DNA project, we would be pleased to hear from you.
The memorial plaque pictured above appeared on a United Kingdom First World War collectables website in August 2020. Commonly known as the “Dead Man’s Penny”, it was the plaque issued to Kezia Greenwood in memory of her son Percy.
Source: Callington Collectables Website, 2020
Percy John Greenwood
Gallery
Charles Arblaster
Ernest Jentsch
Clarence Collier
Frederick Lydiate
David Anderson
James and Mervyn Ross
Herbert "Nutsy" Bolt
Ernest Burgess
Alfred Tuck
Henry Nelson
Harold Roth
James Holmes
William Cullen
John Leslie Dryburgh
FARLOW, Samuel
Denzil Jolly
Frank Oliver Loader
Sydney Lacey
Thomas Shepherd
George Elliott Candy
George’s Memorial Plaque – the “Dead Man’s Penny”
Victor John Backhouse
James George Pamphlet
Can You Help Locate a Missing Memorial Plaque?
Many Memorial Plaques issued after the First World War remain missing, separated from their families, or held in private collections without the soldier’s full story attached.
The Fromelles Association of Australia is always interested in helping families locate, identify and document Memorial Plaques connected to Fromelles soldiers.
If you know the whereabouts of a plaque, or would like help researching one connected to your family, please contact us.
Email: info@fromelles.info